Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 8 december 2017
Argentine judge seeks arrest of ex-President Fernandez

to be held under house ar- from arrest. Fernandez and
rest due to health issues. the other defendants have
Prosecutor Eduardo Taiano several options to appeal,
said the charge of treason which could drag the case
carries a potential prison out for years.
sentence of 10 to 25 years Fernandez and the other
while aggravated cover- defendants have repeat-
up has a six-year penalty. edly denied wrongdoing or
The judge is backing an as- involvement in any cover-
sertion by former prosecu- up involving Argentina’s
tor Alberto Nisman that a worst terror attack, the 1994
2013 agreement with Iran, bombing of the Argentine
which was portrayed as a Israelite Mutual Associa-
joint attempt to solve the tion center in Buenos Aires,
case, in reality ensured that which killed 85 people and
the Iranians involved would wounded hundreds. Inves-
never be prosecuted. The tigators have linked former
deal was approved by Iranian officials to the at-
Congress, but was later de- tack, but Iran has denied
clared unconstitutional by any connection with the
the courts. attack and declined to
For Fernandez to be arrest- turn over suspects.
ed, two thirds of the Senate Courts initially rejected
In this 2015 photo, Argentina’s then-President Cristina Fernandez speaks at the presidential palace
in Buenos Aires, Argentina. An Argentine federal judge on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, accused would have to vote to re- Nisman’s indictment, but
Fernandez of the crime of treason as he asked lawmakers to remove Fernandez’s immunity from move her immunity. It’s un- Argentina’s top criminal
prosecution as a senator. clear whether the Senate court last year accepted
(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) would move against Fer- a request by a coalition
By A. CALATRAVA Jewish center. it’s the first time a judge has nandez, who is still popular of Jewish associations to
Associated Press Judge Claudio Bonadio requested her arrest. with many Argentines de- re-examine the charge
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina asked lawmakers to re- Several aides and allies of spite mounting legal woes. against Fernandez, Timer-
(AP) — A federal judge on move Fernandez’s immu- Fernandez, including for- The Senate usually avoids man and other officials
Thursday asked Argentina’s nity from arrest, which she mer Legal and Technical votes to allow the arrest of originally made by Nisman
Senate to allow the arrest gained upon being elect- Secretary Carlos Zannini colleagues until they have on Jan. 14, 2015.
of former President Cristina ed senator. She was sworn and activist Luis D’Elia, were been found guilty. The case took an even
Fernandez on a charge of in last week. While Fernan- arrested Thursday on the Even if Fernandez retains more sinister turn when Nis-
treason for allegedly cover- dez, who was president same charges. The judge immunity, the judge could man was found dead with
ing up the role of Iranians in from 2007 to 2015, faces ordered former Foreign continue investigating be- a gunshot to the head four
a 1994 bomb attack on a several other court actions, Minister Hector Timerman cause the protection is only days later. q
Honduras president says open to review of disputed vote

By FREDDY CUEVAS position wants. That did not
Associated Press appear to imply a vote-by-
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras vote recount.
(AP) — Eight Latin Ameri- Opposition candidate Sal-
can governments on vador Nasralla has urged a
Wednesday applauded recount of thousands of dis-
Honduras’ willingness to puted ballots and also has
recount disputed votes in called for a re-vote. He told
the presidential elections, The Associated Press that
but questions remain about a re-vote would be legal
how thorough that recount if Congress convened and
will be. explicitly approved it.
The eight countries — Ar- The government, mean-
gentina, Chile, Colombia, while, lifted the curfew it
Guatemala, Mexico, Para- imposed last week for nine
guay, Peru and Uruguay of the country’s 18 provinc-
— said in a statement: “We es, but left it in place for the
call on the citizens of Hon- two biggest cities, Teguci-
duras to await peacefully galpa and San Pedro Sula,
the result of the recount.” armed forces spokesman
Earlier, President Juan Or- Jorge Cerrato said.
lando Hernandez had said With all the votes counted,
he was open to a review of Hernandez held an edge
a disputed vote count in his Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez raises his right fist as he speaks to supporters, in over Nasralla of 43 percent
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017. Eight Latin American governments on Wednesday
bid for re-election, which applauded Honduras’ willingness to recount disputed votes in the presidential elections, but to 41.4 percent.
has plunged the country questions remain about how thorough that recount will be. Both sides claimed vic-
into a political crisis follow- (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) tory even before the final
ing claims of fraud from his Tuesday for the Supreme that “the people deserve Wednesday that the body count, though the tribunal
opponent and violence on Electoral Tribunal to re- respect.” was prepared to review has yet to declare a winner
the streets. examine all the votes from David Matamoros, head of tally sheets from as many more than a week after the
Hernandez called late the Nov. 26 election, saying the electoral tribunal, said polling places as the op- vote.q